Policy on Sexual Harassment Complaint & Redress

TIB strives to ensure that its staff, interns, volunteers, members and other relevant stakeholders with whom TIB engages professionally are treated with dignity and respect, and that they are able to work in an environment that is free from discrimination, harassment and abuse of any kind. In order to maintain a sexual harassment free work atmosphere, TIB practices zero tolerance against violence against women in all its manifestations from both organizational and programmatic perspectives.

Although anyone could be subjected to sexual harassment irrespective of age, sex, marital status, education or profession, TIB recognizes that women are usually more vulnerable to such victimization. Discrimination and harassment, including sexual harassment, are often accompanied by abuse of authority or misuse of power. Victims of sexual harassment are deterred from complaining when a person in a position of authority indulges in such acts for fear of backlash. This makes the situation more complex.

As part of this broader objective and in order to strengthen the gender dimension of its institutional framework, TIB has formulated the Policy on Sexual Harassment Complaint & Redress to enable staff and stakeholders to file complaints and seek redress in the event of any unfortunate incidence of this nature in a work-related situation. Any staff or relevant stakeholder of TIB can invoke this Policy against another (or more than one) staff and/or relevant stakeholder(s) in the event the latter commits an act of sexual harassment in or outside the office premises during or in the course of employment/involvement with TIB.

This Policy draws on the definition provided in the High Court Division Guidelines to signify Sexual Harassment. According to the policy, TIB has constituted a “Complaint Committee to Safeguard against Sexual Abuse and Harassment of Women”, in short, Sexual Harassment Complaint and Redress Committee (SHCRC).

The composition of the Committee will therefore be as follows:
i) Convener (external, female)
ii) Member (external, female)
iii) Member (external, female)
iv) Member (internal, Director- Finance and Admin)
v) Member (internal, Director-Civic Engagement)
vi) Member Secretary (internal, Coordinator-HR&OD, without voting right)

The complainant must file the complaint within thirty (30) working days from the date of the alleged incident to port of call (given below).A friend or member of the family may also file a complaint on behalf of the aggrieved person. S/he will file the complaint directly in writing (email, letter) or orally (in person or over phone) for necessary action.